Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Apparatus and method for production of long metal
products
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a 35 U.S.C. 371 national
phase conversion of PCT/EP2015/059676, filed May 4, 2015
which claims priority of European Patent Application
No. 14425057.8, filed May 13, 2014. The PCT International
Application was published in the English language.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to an apparatus and a
method for production of elongated metal products such as bars,
rods, wire and the like.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
[0003] The production of elongated metal products is generally
realized in a plant by a succession of steps. Normally, in a
first step, metal scrap is provided as feed material to a
furnace which heats up the scrap to reach the liquid status.
Afterwards, continuous casting equipment is used to cool and
solidify the liquid metal and to form a suitably sized strand.
[0004] Such a strand may then be cut to produce a suitably
sized intermediate elongated product, typically a billet, to
create feeding stock for a rolling mill. Normally, such feeding
stock is then cooled down in cooling beds. Thereafter, a
rolling mill is used to transform the feed stock, or billet, to
a final elongated product, for instance rebar, available in
different sizes which can be used in mechanical or construction
industry. To obtain this result, the feed stock is pre-heated
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to a temperature which is suitable for entering the rolling
mill where it is to be rolled by rolling equipment including
multiple stands. By rolling the feed stock through these
multiple stands, the feed stock is reduced to the desired cross
section and shape. The elongated product resulting from the
former rolling process is normally cut when it is still in a
hot condition, then cooled down in a cooling bed, and finally
cut at a commercial length and packed to he ready for delivery
to a customer.
[0005] In the following, an endless operational mode of a plant
for manufacturing elongated metal products will denote a plant
arrangement wherein a direct, continuous link is established
between a casting station and the rolling mill which is fed
with the product of the casting procedure. In other words, the
strand of intermediate product leaving the casting station is
rolled by the rolling mill continuously along one casting line.
Normally, when a plant operates in a fully endless mode, the
continuous strand that is cast from the casting station along a
corresponding casting line is fed to rolling mill, without
being preliminarily cut into billets. In this case, the
elongated intermediate product comes to effectively coincide
with the strand leaving the casting station.
[0006] In the following, a semi-endless operational mode of a
plant for manufacturing of elongated metal products denotes a
plant arrangement, wherein the rolling mill is also fed with
supplemental, normally preliminarily cut intermediate products
which are originally external to the casting line directly
linked to the rolling mill. Such intermediate products can be
fed and inserted into the casting line which is directly
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connected to the rolling mill, for instance, by sourcing them
from further casting lines which are not necessarily themselves
aligned with and directly linked to the rolling mill.
[0007] When operating according to a so called endless mode,
the rolling mill is arranged aligned with the strand produced
by the billet caster. As a result, a manufacturing plant
comprising direct casting and direct feeding of rolling mills,
when dimensioned and conceived for operating in such endless
mode, should ideally be as short as possible, in order to
optimally utilize the internal heat of the just cast billets.
Following this construction constraint, the space interposed
between a first shear, normally located at the end of the
caster, and an entrance into a customary intermediate billet
heating device should be kept as short as possible. The
compactness requirement remains naturally very desirable also
when operating in a semi-endless mode.
[0008] Document WO 2012/013456 A2 discloses a plant comprising
two casting lines producing two strands of intermediate
product, such as billets. Such a plant provides a preliminary
solution to the problem of better exploiting the hourly
production rate of the steelmaking plant upstream, which is
usually higher than the conventional production rate of rolling
mills downstream. However, the layout of this plant is such
that only one of two strands can be rolled to obtain a final
product. By adopting a by-pass solution according to the
concept disclosed in WO 2012/013456 A2, if there is at least a
further strand available exiting from a caster, the additional
billets resulting from such further strand are just transferred
onto a conventional cooling bed. The billets which have been
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cooled down on such bed are then normally intended for direct
sale and are not rolled according to an endless operational
mode. Such a plant does therefore not provide optimal
operational flexibility to be run either in a fully endless
mode or in semi-endless mode.
[0009] In particular, such a plant does not allow fully
exploiting the potentialities of a multi-strand caster in a way
that the rolling mill throughput is actually optimized, for the
production of as many rolled, final elongated products as
desired.
[0010] On the other hand, existing plants which are able to
operate in the so called semi-endless mode cannot ensure that
the operation of inserting extra-billets into the casting line
directly connected to the rolling mill happens in a cobble-free
fashion and with full control over the billets' movements, both
along the additional casting lines from which the supplemental
billets are sourced and, especially, along the main casting
line which is directly connected to the rolling mill.
[0011] None of the existing plants which can operate in a semi-
endless mode and have a multi-strand caster effectively deal
with the problem of avoiding that interferences are created
between billets along the casting lines.
[0012] As a result of such lack of control, in current plants
operating in a semi-endless mode, the workflow can be
disrupted, in the feeding direction of the rolling mill as well
as in the additional casting lines which are not aligned with
the rolling mill.
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[0013] Thus, a need exists in the prior art for an apparatus,
and a corresponding method, for the production of elongated
rolled products from a multiplicity of casting lines which
encompasses a semi-endless operating mode, wherein the rolling
mill output and the production rate of intermediate elongate
products such as billets are optimized and happen in a cobble-
free way, that is with no interferences between billets on one
same casting line or across casting lines as a result of billet
transfer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Accordingly, a major objective of the present invention
is to provide a flexible plant and a method for production of
long metal products which allows switching between endless and
semi-endless production mode. The present invention allows thus
to exploit at the best, in terms of output, the potentiality of
a multi-lino castor in direct association with a rolling mill
and, at the same time, offers the option to seamlessly produce
intermediate elongate products, such as billets to be sold as
such.
[0015] The plant according to the present invention operates in
a way that it can swiftly adapt to different production
requirements and circumstances, dependent on actual need of
final elongated products, such as rolled rebars, or
intermediate elongated products, such as billets as such. This
way, production can be adjusted to the current, actual
requests, for instance according to commission orders.
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[0016] The present invention allows increasing rolling
throughput by feeding the rolling mill with as many billets as
possible from at least two, three or even N strands, without
losing control over the production process and specifically
over the billet movements.
[0017] A companion objective of the present invention is to
allow reaching the above flexibility while at the same time
keeping the overall plant very compact.
[0018] In this respect, the movements of the billets along the
casting line directly connected to rolling mill and the
movements of billets on the additional casting lines are
achieved and controlled according to a special arrangement
which does not have negative consequences in terms of overall
length and general bulk of the plant.
[0019] In particular, such movements of elongated intermediate
products, both across the casting line directly linked to the
rolling mill and the additional casting lines and from the
additional casting lines to a cooling bed, can be
advantageously executed by operating the same double-acting
transfer means, positioned at the same level along the overall
development of the plant production line.
[0020] There is no need for an add-on to the plant resulting in
a supplementary length least equal to the length of a billet,
like customary solutions would instead imply.
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[0021] It is also by adopting this arrangement measure that the
present invention ensures that the temperature of the cast
billets or intermediate elongated products does not decrease
too much along the production lines. Less power is thus needed
to re-heat the intermediate elongated products to a temperature
that is suitable for subsequent hot rolling, in compliance with
more and more relevant energy saving measures and ecological
requirements.
[0022] A companion objective of the present invention is to
readily switch between semi-endless and endless production
modes on the casting line directly connected to the rolling
mill by use of a robust system which does not present
unnecessary complications, thus reducing need for maintenance
and extra-safety measures.
[0023] Decoupling the billet transfer means from the billet
heating means according to the plant arrangement of the present
invention advantageously ensures that the mechanical and
control parts of the bidirectional, also denotable as double
acting, billet transfer means are not affected by high
temperatures.
[0024] Easier accessibility to these transfer means, even
during operation, is achieved.
[0024a] According to one aspect of the present invention, there
is provided an apparatus for production of elongated metal
products, said apparatus comprising: a rolling mill comprising
at least one rolling stand, a casting station comprising at
least a first casting line and at least a second casting line,
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each line being operable to produce respective continuous
strands and elongated intermediate products, wherein: the first
casting line is directly aligned with the rolling mill, said
first casting line being configured to feed the rolling mill
with continuous casting strands or cast elongated intermediate
products, and the second casting line is not aligned with the
rolling mill; said apparatus further comprises: bidirectional
transfer means for transferring elongated intermediate products
of the second casting line in a first direction from said
second casting line to said first casting line to align said
elongated intermediate product with the rolling mill; said
bidirectional transfer means is positioned over one cross-
transfer area wherein: said bidirectional transfer means are
foreseen for transferring elongated intermediate products of
the second casting line in a second direction from said at
least second casting line to a cooling bed; the components of
said bidirectional transfer means are substantially at a same
level along said first and said second casting lines; an
automation control system comprising sensor means at least
along said first casting line cooperating with said
bidirectional transfer means; at least three sensors along the
first casting line are provided as said sensor means, whereas
one first sensor of said at least three sensors is positioned
within a range of 1-6 meters upstream of an entrance to the
cross-transfer area; one second sensor is positioned within the
cross-transfer area soon after the entrance of the cross-
transfer area; one third sensor is positioned within the cross-
transfer area at an exit of the cross-transfer area; said
bidirectional transfer means comprises a lifting device for
carrying elongated intermediate products, cooperating with
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first moving means, for transferring said elongated
intermediate products of the second casting line in the first
direction; and second moving means for transferring said
elongated intermediate products of the second casting line in
the second direction; wherein said lifting device, first moving
means and second moving means are positioned over the cross-
transfer area substantially spatially at the same level along
said first and second casting lines.
[0025] Other objectives, features and advantages of the present
invention will be now described in greater detail with
reference to specific embodiments represented in the attached
drawings, wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic, general view of an
embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention,
wherein the casting station produces a first and a second
casting strand, substantially parallel to each other,
travelling on respective casting lines;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a portion of the
apparatus of Figure 1, showing a particular moment of the
cross-transfer of an elongated intermediate product, such as a
billet, from the second casting line to the first casting line;
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FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D and 3E are schematic
representations of a first sequence of steps executed by the
apparatus of FIG. 1, showing how the elongate intermediate
products moving on the first casting line are complemented with
additional elongated intermediate products from the second
casting line, when minimal conditions of non-interference are
satisfied;
FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C 4D and 4F are schematic
representations of a second sequence of steps executed by the
apparatus of FIG. 1, showing how elongated intermediate
products from the second casting line are cross-transferred to
a cooling bed, when minimal conditions of non-interference are
not satisfied either on the second casting line or on the
first casting line;
- FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of one of the
steps which can be performed by the apparatus of FIG. 1, based
on sensor means' input, showing how one elongated intermediate
product from the second casting line is kept within a cross-
transfer area, until next minimal conditions of non-
interference are verified on the first casting line for
concurrent transfer to the first casting line;
FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of one of the
steps which can be performed by the apparatus of FIG. 1,
showing how a lifting device of bidirectional transfer means of
the apparatus according to the present invention, having
carried an elongated intermediate product from the second
casting line to the first casting line, is brought back towards
a waiting position along the second casting line
FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of one of the
steps which can be performed by the lifting apparatus of FIG. 6
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when two elongated intermediate products find themselves
concurrently within the cross-transfer area along the second
casting line, showing how the lifting device engages with and
carries one of the elongated intermediate products to be
5 transferred to a cooling bed.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0026] In the FIGS., like reference numerals depict like
elements.
[0027] With reference to FIG. 1, an apparatus 100 for the
production of elongated metal products such as bars, rods or
the like, comprises:
a rolling mill 10 comprising at least one rolling
stand 5; and
a casting station 20 comprising at least a first
casting line 2a and at least a second casting line 2b.
[0028] Each of the casting lines 2a and 2b is operable to
produce respective continuous strands and/or elongated
intermediate products b2a, b2b in FIG. 2, such as billets.
[0029] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the first casting line 2a is directly
aligned with the rolling mill 10 and is configured to feed such
rolling mill 10 with cast continuous strands or elongated
intermediate products.
[0030] According one of the functioning concepts of the present
invention, the elongated intermediate products which eventually
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feed the rolling mill 10 can advantageously be billets b2a as
well as billets b2b.
[0031] The at least one second casting line 2b is, instead, not
directly aligned with the rolling mill 10.
[0032] In FIG. 2, the apparatus 100 according to the present
invention further advantageously comprises double acting, or
bidirectional, transfer means 30 for transferring elongated
intermediate products across the multiplicity of casting lines.
[0033] In particular, for the specific embodiment hereby
illustrated, such bidirectional transfer means 30 allows the
cross-transfer of elongated intermediate products b2b of the
second casting line 2b in two possible, preferably opposite
directions.
[0034] Specifically, the transfer of billets b2b can be
executed in a first direction, from the second casting line 2b
to the first casting line 2a, in order to align the elongated
intermediate product b2b with the rolling mill 10, to be
finally rolled according to a semi-endless operating mode.
[0035] Otherwise, alternatively, the special bidirectional
transfer means 30 of the apparatus 100 according to the present
invention can transfer billets b2b in a second direction,
preferably substantially opposite to the first direction, from
the at least second casting line 2b to a cooling bed 40.
[0036] Billets b2b which are transferred to a cooling bed
according to this second transfer option are then meant to be
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sold as intermediate product, that is billets as such, to be
then further processed, possibly on a different site.
[0037] In this way, the overall, multi-line billet
manufacturing plant can be switched between different operating
modes. In particular, the plant comprising the claimed
apparatus 100 can be automatically, swiftly switched, for
instance, between:
- a semi-endless operating mode wherein an exchange of
elongated intermediate products between second casting line 2b
and first casting line 2a is implemented, to achieve a
consistently higher output of the rolling process; and
- a fully endless operating mode only on the first casting
line aligned with the rolling mill 10, usually with the benefit
of less specific reheating energy consumption and/or better
material yield by the whole process.
[0038] On the one hand, when functioning according to a semi-
endless mode, billets h2a originally put from the casting
station 20 on the first casting line 2a are complemented with
cross-transferred billets b2b from (at least) a second casting
line 2b, as shown in FIG. 6, thus obtaining that these cross-
transferred billets arrive at the rolling mill 10. Hence all
billets from both casting lines can be rolled.
[0039] On the other hand, when the first casting line operates
in a fully endless mode, billets b2h originally on the second
casting line 2b are, instead, transferred onto a cooling bed 40
in FIGS. 4D, 4E and do not reach the rolling mill 10, and are
available to be sold or for later heating of other billets.
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Hence, maximum material yield together with minimum specific
heating energy consumption is obtained. The operating mode of
the first casting line can be turned to a fully endless mode
when for example, commission orders demand that, from multi-
strand continuous casting production. The billets obtained from
the non-aligned strands may be sold as mere, unrolled
intermediate product.
[0040] According to the present invention, switching from a
semi-endless operating mode to an operating mode which is
essentially endless along the first, aligned casting line is
also preferably dependent on the relative movement of the
elongated intermediate products and, ultimately, on risk of
interference among billets on the first casting line and/or on
the second casting line.
[0041] The switching between operating modes can be therefore
advantageously controlled in function of minimal conditions of
non-interference between billets, as explained more in depth
below in connection with the description of the process steps
according to the present invention.
[0042] In fact, the present invention allows to optimize and
customize production output, ensuring cobble-free conditions on
the first casting line and on the other, additional casting
lines, by avoiding interferences between billets on the first
casting line and/or on the further casting lines. Such
undesirable interferences would otherwise cause problems both
as a result of subsequent, incoming billets on the same casting
line or as a result of the insertion of additional billets into
the first casting line aligned with the rolling mill.
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[0043] The bidirectional transfer means 30 in FIGS. 2 and 6 of
the apparatus 100 according to the present invention comprises
preferably a lifting device 31 for carrying elongated
intermediate products b2b. Such lifting device can comprise an
aptly designed billet seat.
[0044] Bidirectional, or double acting, transfer means can
comprise first and second moving means cooperating with the
lifting device 31.
[0045] First moving means allow transferring the elongated
intermediate products b2b of the second casting line 2b in a
first direction from the second casting line 2b to the first
casting line 2a.
[0046] Second moving means allow transferring the elongated
intermediate products b2b of the second casting line 2b in a
second direction from the at least second casting line 2h to a
cooling bed 40. Such second moving means can be substantially
the same as the first moving means and can differ from the
latter just in that they are driven in the opposite direction
as the first moving means.
[0047] In order to keep the overall apparatus 100 compact and
to advantageously save space, all of the components of the
bidirectional transfer means 30 according to the present
invention are preferably positioned over one, same cross-
transfer area 35 in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7. This means, for the
specific embodiment introduced, that the lifting device 31 the
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first moving means and the second moving means are preferably
positioned over one, same cross-transfer area 35.
[0048] Lifting device 31 and moving means are therefore spatially
5 contained and grouped within a cross-transfer area or module, which
can have walls or can be entirely open-air, substantially at the
same level along the first and second casting lines. Being at the
same level with respect to the development of the casting lines
means substantially at the same plant section. In the context of
10 the present invention, the above mentioned same-level
positioning preferably implies that the components of the
double-acting transfer means are contained within a cross-
transfer area or module substantially at the same distance from
the casting mold or casting head of the casting station.
[0049] The cross-transfer area 35 preferably stretches over a
length which is the same as, or slightly longer than, the rated
maximum length of the elongated intermediate products b2b.
Thus, valuable space is gained and two functions, corresponding
to the double acting transfer means, are advantageously
encompassed within the same plant section.
[0050] The apparatus 100 according to the present invention
comprises an automation control system in FIGS. 2, 6 and 7
comprising special sensor means 6, 7, cooperating with the
bidirectional transfer means 30.
[0048] In any event, sensor means 6 are advantageously provided
at least along the first casting line 2a.
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[0049] The bidirectional Lransfer means 30 can be thus
activated according to information collected by these sensors
6, 7.
[0050] Sensors 6,7 can be generic optical presence sensors, or
more specifically, can be hot metal detectors designed to
detect the light emitted or the presence of hot infrared
emitting bodies, such as billets coming from continuous
casting.
[0051] Sensors 6 along the first casting line 2a are preferably
positioned within the cross-transfer area 35 and within a range
of 1-6 meters upstream of the entrance to the cross-transfer
area 35. The former range upstream of the entrance to the
cross-transfer area depends on typical billet length, typical
billet speed and acceleration or deceleration thereof.
[0052] According to a favorite embodiment, at least three such
sensors 6 are provided on the first casting line 2a:
- one first sensor 6 is positioned before the entrance of the
cross-transfer area 35;
- one second sensor 6 is positioned soon after, the entrance
of the cross-transfer area 35; and
- one third sensor 6 is positioned at the exit of the cross-
transfer area 35.
[0053] According to another embodiment represented in FIG. 2
and in FIGS. 5-7, at least a further sensor 7 is provided on
the second casting line 2b, preferably connected to sensor
means 6 along the first casting line 2a and positioned at the
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exit of the cross-transfer area 35. Sensor 7 can determine when
billets b2b have entered and effectively completed their
insertion process within the cross-transfer area 35. The
cooperation between sensors 6 and 7 can efficiently activate
the bidirectional transfer means 30.
[0054] A production method according to the present invention
comprises a first step of casting from a casting station 20 a
multiplicity of strands on respective casting lines, wherein
the multiplicity of casting lines comprise at least a first and
a second casting line 2a, 2b, for producing respective
elongated intermediate products.
[0055] Such elongated intermediate products are obtained by
cutting the respective continuously cast strands.
[0056] On the first casting line 2a, a respective strand or
respective elongated intermediate products b2a can be moved
directly to feed a rolling mill 10; whereas on the second
casting line 2b the respective elongated intermediate products
b2b are moved in non-alignment with the rolling mill 10, up to
a cross-transfer area 35.
[0057] The relative movement of the billets b2a, b2b on the two
different casting lines 2a, 2b is preferably staggered so as to
more easily create the necessary gaps for semi-endless
functioning.
[0058] The above sensor means are then used as follows.
Sensor means 6, 7 detect the presence and the position of
strands or of elongated intermediate products, such as billets,
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and transmit a proportional signal to an overall automation
control system. Such automation control system, based on the
input received, accordingly activates the bidirectional
transfer means 30.
[0059] The automation control system cooperates with the
bidirectional transfer means 30 in the sense of determining,
based on conditions detected by the sensors, the shifting of
elongated intermediate products b2b into the first casting line
2a or towards a cooling bed 40 or, rather, the transitory stop
thereof on casting line 2b.
[0060] The automation control system can advantageously take
into account billet positions along first and second casting
lines 2a, 2b; relative distances between billets b2a and
billets b2b in their scattered movements; and speeds thereof,
as well as, optionally, billets' dimensions.
[0061] In particular, sensor means 6, 7 allow the automation
control system to automatically determine whether minimal
conditions of non-interference between elongated intermediate
products are satisfied on the first casting line 2a.
[0062] If such given minimal conditions of non-interference are
satisfied, then the automation control system activates the
bidirectional transfer means 30 to complement the elongated
intermediate products which already are moving on the first
casting line with additional elongated intermediate products
b2b from the second casting line 2b by cross-transferring
elongated intermediate products b2b from the second casting
line 2b to the first casting line 2a. Whenever a sufficiently
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large gap between successive elongated intermediate products on
the first line 2a is detected, then, a further elongated
intermediate product b2b is shifted in a first direction, from
the second casting line 2b to the first casting line 2a.
Analogously, if a multiplicity of casting lines are provided
which comprises more than two casting lines as exemplified,
further elongated intermediate products can be shifted from an
nth line to the first casting line 2a aligned with the rolling
mill 10.
[0063] In this case, elongated intermediate products b2b,
cross-transferred from the second casting line 2b as
exemplified in the intermediate passage of FIG. 2, are
eventually fed to the rolling mill 10, to be rolled in series
with the elongated intermediate products which move along the
first casting line 2a. This overall work-flow is schematically
represented in the sequence of FIGS. 3A-3E.
[0064] FIG. 6 illustrates the completion of the cross-transfer
of a billet b2b by transfer means 30, wherein the subsequent
repositioning of the lifting device 31 is also evident. In
fact, the method according to the present invention comprises
an intermediate step of repositioning the bidirectional
transfer means 30 used for executing the steps of
- cross-transferring the elongated intermediate products from
the second casting line 2b to the first casting line 2a; and
- transferring the elongated intermediate products b2b which
have reached the cross-transfer area 35 on the second casting
line 2b to a cooling bed 40. See sequence in FIGS. 4A-4E. The
intermediate repositioning step comprises bringing the
bidirectional transfer means 30 back to a waiting position
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along the second casting line, in order to receive a further
elongated intermediate product b2b entering the cross-transfer
area 35 at casting speed or at an accelerated speed of up to 50
meters per minute.
5
[0065] A desired moving or shifting time for cross-transfer
execution by transfer means 30 is of less than 20 seconds,
preferably less than 15-12 seconds. Preferably, the whole
execution cycle of the following operations is comprised within
10 such time ranges: acceleration of the billets b2b from their
standstill, waiting position on line 2b to their cross-transfer
speed; placement of the billets b2b on the first casting line
2a by the transfer means 30; and completion of the release of
billets b2b on the first casting line 2a, such that it may be
15 accelerated towards the rolling mill entry.
[0066] Otherwise, if the result of sensor detection and
elaboration by the control system is that such given minima]
conditions of non-interference are not satisfied, the system
20 determines between two possible commands to be imparted to the
bidirectional transfer means 30, in consideration of detection
of subsequent, incoming elongated intermediate products b2b on
said second casting line 2b.
[0067] These conditions may, for instance, be given also when
the first casting line 2a is functioning according to an
endless operating mode and the strand continuously cast on line
2a is not cut into billets for a certain time span but is
instead moved uncut to the rolling mill 10. In such conditions
and for the whole phase wherein an endless operating mode is
adopted, no inter-billet gaps will be found on line 2a.
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[0068] As shown in FIG. 5, the bidirectional transfer means 30
can be instructed to keep the elongated intermediate products
b2b which have reached said cross-transfer area 35 on the
second casting line 2b within the cross-transfer area 35, until
next minimal conditions of non-interference are verified on the
first casting line 2a for concurrent transfer to the first
casting line 2a as above explained.
[0069] If, instead, the control system determines that further
keeping the elongated intermediate products b2b on the second
casting line 2b within the cross-transfer area 35 will entail
risk of collision or interference or cobbles due to the
impending arrival of a billet or even of a still uncut strand
from casting line 2b, the bidirectional transfer means 30 can
be instructed to transfer and shift the elongated intermediate
products b2b which have reached the cross-transfer area 35 on
the second casting line 2b to a cooling bed 40, for subsequent
sale as intermediate products.
[0070] This case is exemplified in the work-flow sequence of
FIGS. 4A-4E and in FIG. 7. These billets which are let cool
down on the cooling bed 40 can alternatively be used for later
rolling by the rolling mill 10, particularly in times of non-
availability of the casting station 20, instead of being
directly sold as such.
[0071] In the apparatus according to the present invention,
moreover, the automation control system can determine, based on
input from the sensor means 6, 7, the variation of the casting
speed of the strand of the first casting line 2a and/ or the
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variation of the casting speed of the strand of the second
casting line 2b.
[0072] In addition, or in alternative, to the above mentioned
casting speed variation for the cast strands, the automation
control system of the present apparatus may also encompass the
option of controlling acceleration and/or deceleration and/or
stopping of elongated intermediate products b2a, b2b along the
first and second cast lines 2a, 2b.
[0073] By controlled variation of the casting speed of the cast
strands and/or of the moving speed of the billets on the
respective casting lines, there is more easily regulated a
sufficiently large gap between successive elongated
intermediate products on the first line, so that effective
activation of the bidirectional transferring means 30 for
transferring elongated intermediate products b2b from the
second casting line 2b in a first direction onto to the first
casting line 2a is made possible.
[0074] The adjustment of the travelling speed of the billets on
the casting lines makes it possible to proportionally increase
the number of billets b2b which can be transferred to the first
casting line 2a for hot rolling. Ideally, billets of all
strands are accelerated after separating them from their strand
by cutting, when operation is according to a semi-endless mode.
Following this, the billets can be optionally decelerated to
obtain a convenient relative distance between billets
extremities, which can be approximately of 0,5-1,5 meters,
which is usually called the intermediate billet gap.
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[0075] In particular, elongated intermediate products resulting
from the casting process and moving along the first casting
line 2a at casting speed may be accelerated, after being
separated from the relative strand by cutting via cutting
means 9, through the cross-transfer area 35 on their way to an
induction heater 80 in FIG. 6, in order to create a big enough
gap on the first casting line 2a to receive an elongated
intermediate product b2b from the second casting line 2b.
Cutting means 9 can for example be a shear tool or a torch
cutter.
[0076] Analogously, elongated intermediate products b2b on the
second casting line 2b can be accelerated after being separated
from the respective strand by cutting via cutting means 9'
towards and inside the cross transfer area 35, in order to
build up a distance gap from successive elongated intermediate
products b2b and to synchronise with the abovementioned gap
creation on Lhe first casting line 2a, so that their shifting
to the first casting line 2a is made possible.
[0077]
[0078] For example, for billets of a length of 12 meters, a
convenient entrance inter-billet gap can be of about 14-15
meters; whereas, for billets of a length of 6 meters, a
convenient entrance inter-billet gap can be of about 8-9
meters.
[0079] Also, for example, accelerated billets which move at 35
meters per minute, up to maximum 50 meters per minute, can be
accelerated by at least 150 meters/minA2, preferably by 180-300
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meters/min^2 and even more preferably by 500-1500 meters/min^2.
The higher the speeds and accelerations, the more the
flexibility to switch between endless and semi-endless
operational modes is enhanced.
[0080] By varying the relative casting speed of the strand
casting process along respective casting lines 2a, 2b; and/or
by varying the speed of the elongated intermediate products
resulting from casting and moving along the first casting line
2a; and/or by varying the speed of the elongated intermediate
products b2b resulting from casting and moving along the second
casting line 2b, a convenient staggering of the relative
movement of elongate intermediate products b2a, b2b on
different casting lines can be achieved.
[0081] Thus, cross-transferring of elongated intermediate
products b2b from the second casting line 2b to the first
casting line 2a is made easier and safer in that less prone to
cobbles.
[0082] Similarly, the sensor means 6, 7 can control the waiting
time during which elongated intermediate products b2b are kept
idle within the cross-transfer area 35 along the second casting
line 2b. The duration of the above waiting time can be
advantageously coordinated with the creation of a sufficient
gap on the first casting line 2a, as above explained, allowing
for shifting of such elongated intermediate products b2b from
the second casting line 2b to the first casting line 2a.
[0083] As above mentioned, the apparatus according to the
present invention preferably comprises heating means 80, in
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FIGS. 4A, 4E, 5, 6 and 7, for Lhe elongated intermediate
products. Such heating means is advantageously positioned
separate from the bidirectional transfer means 30 along the
production line, in particular preferably downstream from the
5 plant section where the bidirectional transfer means 30 is
located. The heating means 80 is preferably an inductive
heater, but a gas furnace may be possible, although It Is less
preferred. In any event, the design of the apparatus 100
according to the present invention is such that no long tunnel
10 or excessively long furnace is interposed between billet
shearing and entrance to the rolling mill 10.
[0084] The automation control system of the apparatus according
to the present invention can control - e.g. by advantageously
15 using sensors 6, 7 in combination with a billet stopping system
the deceleration of the previously accelerated elongated
intermediate products in correspondence of the induction heater
80 on the first casting line 2a, so that these products reach
an optimal temperature for subsequent hot rolling by spending
20 the optimal amount of time passing through the induction heater
80. The power of the induction heater 80 is anyhow preferably
set and dimensioned to cope with the additional billets b2b
which are transferred to the first casting line 2a. An optimum
compromise needs to be therefore achieved between the reduction
25 of speed through the induction heater 80 and the heating power
developed by the induction heater itself. At any rate, the
apparatus 100 according to the present invention minimizes heat
loss, also thanks to the compact structural solution presented
in the following.
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[0085] The apparatus 100 according to the present invention
preferably comprises a first shear tool 9 in FIG. 2 for the
elongated intermediate products which are cast on the first
casting line 2a. As explained above, the first casting line 2a
can also function in an endless operating mode, in connection
with which the continuously cast strand on line 2a is not cut.
Such a shear tool 9 is preferably positioned just after the
casting line's region corresponding to the so called maximum
solidification length (calculated in accordance with casting
section and maximum speed/throughput). The shearing time can be
advantageously less than a second, whereas other cutting
techniques such as torch cutting normally require 15-60
seconds, depending mainly on billet cross section and on torch
output power. Evidently, such gain in time causes less heat
loss of the billets while travelling along the casting lines,
and proportionally less heat output required from induction
heater 80. The apparatus 100 according to the present invention
also comprises a second shear tool 9' in FIG. 2 for cutting the
strand continuously cast on line 2b into elongated intermediate
products b2b.
[0086] The structure of the apparatus 100 according to the
present invention preferably has the distance between the first
shear tool 9 and the entrance to the heating means 80 is less
than 2.4 times the rated maximum length of the elongated
intermediate products, and preferably less than 2 times the
rated length of the elongated intermediate products. This
construction measure further enhances the energy saving
characteristics of the apparatus 100 according to the present
invention. For example, an apparatus according to the present
invention would make an arrangement of a plant for production
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and rolling of billets measuring 18 meters possible, wherein
the overall distance between the shear tool 9 and the end of
the cross-transfer area 35 is only about 34 meters; or the
overall distance between shear tool 9 and entry to the heating
means 80 is only about 37 meters. This would be achieved while
still having good further safety/robustness margins, for
instance taking into account the vacant space between the head
or forward extremity of the first incoming billet b2a on line
2a in FIG. 2 and the first sensor 6.
[0087] In case there is no inductive heater installed, the
distance between the first cutting tool after final
solidification on the first billet strand 2a up to entry into
the first rolling stand can even be made less than 2.7 times
the maximum rated billet length, preferably less than 2.4 times
the maximum rated billet length, when considering a semi-
endless operation mode. This configuration can still allow
space for a snap shear and/or a descaling unit placed between
the end of the cross-transfer area 35 and the first rolling
stand 5.
[0088] According to an embodiment of the apparatus 100
according to the present invention, moving means for
transferring elongated intermediate products b2a of the first
casting line 2a to an emergency bed 4 in FIG. 1 can be also
provided.
[0089] Such an emergency cooling bed 4 is preferably positioned
substantially opposite, with respect to the casting line
direction, to the cooling bed 40 for the elongate intermediate
products b2b from the second casting line 2b. The emergency
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cooling bed 4 as above defined might be useful, for instance,
in case a cobble condition occurs in the rolling mill 10; or if
quality issues arise and the billets moving along the first
casting line 2a are not suitable for immediate rolling.
Preferably, up to 6 or 10 billets can be shifted aside on the
emergency cooling bed 4 from the first casting line 2a, for
sale or for later back-shifting and semi-endless rolling.
[0090] Such moving means for transferring elongated
intermediate products b2a of the first casting line 2a to an
emergency bed 4 can be separate from the bidirectional transfer
means 30. The decoupling of the above moving means from the
bidirectional transfer means 30 can be advantageous in case the
transfer means are faced with high operational demand in
transferring elongated intermediate products b2b.
[0091] Alternatively, such further moving means can be
comprised in bidirectional transfer means 30 or therewith
combined, for instance cooperating with said lifting device 31.
[0092] The apparatus 100 according to the present invention,
and the method of operating such an apparatus, effectively
achieve maximization of rolling throughput by:
- optimizing the entry sequence of additional billets to be
finally rolled, when functioning according to a semi-endless
operation mode;
- allowing seamless, prompt switching to an endless operation
mode on the line which is directly linked to the rolling mill;
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- concurrently, rationalizing intermediate billet production
and storing, when dictated by production requirements or when
critical conditions arise.
Moreover, relative to the semi-endless operation mode, the
present invention guarantees minimization of heat loss along
the casting lines on the way to the billet heating means; and
a minimization of inter-billet gaps, in total safety and
preventing billet collisions/interferences or cobbles.
